“Privilege”: The musician David Gilmour was honoured to perform with
While he may not have been there from the beginning, being an integral part of Pink Floyd during the band’s heyday must have been a thrilling experience for David Gilmour, for the most part. Having been drafted in initially to cover for their unpredictable frontman and guitarist Syd Barrett, and later replacing him entirely in 1968, he was at the helm alongside bassist Roger Waters for almost two decades before their initial split following the release of 1983’s The Final Cut.
However, while it would’ve been a rewarding period for the guitarist, it was also an incredibly taxing and exhausting experience. The demands of being in one of the most acclaimed progressive rock bands of the era meant that he and the rest of the band had to constantly stretch themselves to be at their absolute best, ensuring that each record was even more boundary-pushing than the last. Not only that, but working alongside such a perfectionist and taskmaster like Waters would have been draining and tough to persist with.
When Waters finally called time on his tenure with Pink Floyd after the release of his 1984 solo record, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, many doubts were cast over the future of the band and whether Gilmour would continue with Richard Wright and Nick Mason. While proceedings were put on hold for a period of time, it afforded Gilmour an extra bit of freedom to explore whatever he wanted to do without having to seek the approval of his bandmates.
In the interim years when Pink Floyd ceased all activity, Gilmour certainly made use of his free time by contributing towards releases from several other esteemed artists. As one of the most formidable lead guitarists of the period, his services were seemingly in high demand, and he ended up working on records for the likes of Pete Townshend, Grace Jones and Paul McCartney, no less. However, it was a live appearance during this period that Gilmour claims was one of the most pleasurable musical experiences of his life.
Playing live had always been Pink Floyd’s strength, so recruiting David Gilmour would always have been a wise choice for other musicians in need of a reliable guitarist. When it came to the infamous staging of charity concert Live Aid in the summer of 1985, plenty of musicians were inviting other esteemed guests to perform live with them in a day of short but memorable sets.
It was through this that Gilmour ended up sharing a stage with Bryan Ferry, who had also recently embarked on a solo career after disbanding Roxy Music in 1983, and during his four-song set, Gilmour showed just how industrious and versatile a player he was. Speaking in an interview on Australian radio in 1988, Gilmour opened up about how much he enjoyed the experience, even if it was only brief. “To be at Wembley on that particular day was a really fabulous experience,” Gilmour explained. “I had a really good day. I mean, taking part in something like that is a fantastic experience.”
Further expanding on his brief appearance, he said that it never bothered him that he wasn’t billed on the announcements, and that simply getting to still play guitar to an audience is what drives him. “I literally don’t have the sort of ego that demands that I be announced or something like that,” he continued. “I do this as a career, but I’d be doing it anyway if I had another job. To have the privilege of being allowed to get on a show like that is a wonderful thing – I don’t care about all the other shit.”
